Bucks Co. Hunter Sentenced In Nockamixon Park Shooting

Doylestown PA

07 July, 2021

2:57 PM

Description

DOYLESTOWN, PA — A Bucks County judge sentenced a Warminster man to seven to 20 years in state prison in connection the shooting death of 18-year-old Jason Kutt. On Wednesday, Kenneth Troy Heller, 52, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, recklessly endangering another person, possession of an instrument of crime, possession of a prohibited offensive weapon and two hunting law violations. Kutt, of Sellersville, had been sitting with his girlfriend at the edge of the lake, waiting for the sun to set, when he was shot once in the back of the head, around 5:15 p.m. on Oct. 24, 2020. Kutt was pronounced dead two days later. It took authorities several months of investigating before police were able to identify Heller as a suspect. Detectives tracked down three vehicles that were at the state park on that day, one of which belonged to Heller. Prior to delivering the sentence, Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey L. Finley said he received dozens of letters from relatives and friends of Jason Kutt, describing the impact the teen's death had on the community. At Wednesday's sentencing, Kutt's father, mother and sister, and the mother of Kutt's girlfriend, gave emotional statements. "There is no recovering from this," his father said. "Our hearts will never heal." Jason Kutt, 18, of Sellersville, was shot and killed on Oct. 24 while sitting with his girlfriend at Nockamixon State Park. (Bucks County DA In addition to handing down a sentence of seven to 20 years, Finley ordered Heller to pay a $10,000 fine to the victim's next of kin, as part of one of the hunting violations. Heller admitted in court that he made no attempts to inform authorities that he took the fatal shot. Detectives interviewed Heller's co-workers who said he did not report to work the Monday after the shooting and was visibly "shook up" when returned on Tuesday. The co-workers also told detectives that shortly after the shooting Heller gave away guns, ammunition and hunting gear. Detectives searched Heller's vehicle and home on Dec. 10, finding a .17-caliber Marlin rifle, ammunition for the rifle and an orange hunting vest with a 2020 hunting license issued to Kenneth Heller affixed to the back of the vest. Detectives also found metal knuckles with a dagger attached. On Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, Bucks County detectives met with Heller, accompanied with his attorney, and he admitted to firing his .17-caliber Marlin rifle – the one located during the Dec. 10 search – from the area of the gate on Old Ridge Road, shortly after 5 p.m. and that the projectile from his rifle struck and killed Kutt. The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris W. Rees and Assistant District Attorney Edward Furman, Jr. Be the first to know what's happening in your town and area. Sign up to get Patch emails and don't miss a minute of local and state news: https://patch.com/subscribe